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Haterz gotta Hate

One of the most amazing things about the US is its peaceful change after major elections. It’s probably the time we should be most proud. We quietly transfer governance after we elect our officials. It’s amazing to watch all of this even when you’re in the position of having to watch an elected official that you did not support. Today’s inauguration really reflected and celebrated the diversity of today’s USA. It’s weird how some people can’t even relax long enough to realize the country does so many things well. Instead of embracing our exceptionalism, well, haterz gotta hate.

There were a number of sour looks (that’s Boehner’s wife with that look on behind the first couple), sour grapes, and sour comments coming from the sour loser contingent today. There were many inspiring words in the President’s inauguration speech about giving every one the American Dream and the promise of equality. Guess not every one likes that idea.

Free Republic posters feel maybe a little nauseous. One poster writes, “Make sure your TV is on. After all, ALL HAIL OUR KING, OUR GOD KING, KING OBAMA!” Others say they’re saving money by missing out. Another says: “By not turning my TV on today at all, I will probably save a LOT on my electric bill. I figure, at Least $.08. Every little bit helps.” A third thinks they’re the silent majority: “Wonder how the networks will fake the ratings on this fiasco….”

For Ryan, the country is divided between “takers” and “makers.” He generally puts the number of the former at around a third, with the remainder in the producing category. The dichotomy has been a regular part of his rhetorical repertoire for years, and was elevated during the presidential campaign as Ryan sought the vice presidency.

Ryan argues that social insurance programs that are central to Western welfare states sap the citizenry of ambition. Obama took direct aim at that contention on Monday. “The commitments we make to each other — through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security — these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great,” he said.

One of the most ludicrous tweets came from Ari Fleischer. Here’s Paul Begala’s response to it.

Oh, and we learned that Eric Cantor is visibly unappreciative of poetry and blessings in Spanish. It’s just too bad we all can’t stop and consider what a wonder we have in a constitutionally-based change of government even when it’s not total change. After all, consider Syria, Libya and Egypt and their fight for liberation from dictators in the age of modern weapons. Peaceful transitions should leave us breathless and feeling blessed.

There is quite a bit of sour grapes going around. After the inauguration MSNBC showed the ceremony where the POTUS officially signed the Cabinet nominations. At the conclusion everyone clapped except for the Republicans in attendance. Goddam, can’t they just ease up for one day?

This was the most sustainedly “progressive” statement Barack Obama has made in his decade on the national stage.

I was expecting an anodyne tone-poem about healing national wounds, surmounting partisanship, and so on. As has often been the case, Obama confounded expectations — mine, at least. Four years ago, when people were expecting a barn-burner, the newly inaugurated president Obama gave a deliberately downbeat, sober-toned presentation about the long challenges ahead. Now — well, it’s almost as if he has won re-election and knows he will never have to run again and hears the clock ticking on his last chance to use the power of the presidency on the causes he cares about. If anyone were wondering whether Obama wanted to lower expectations for his second term … no, he apparently does not.

Of course Obama established the second half of the speech, about voting rights and climate change and “not a nation of takers” and “Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall” [!] etc, with careful allusions through the first half of the speech to to our founding faiths — and why doing things “together,” the dominant word of the speech, has always been the American way.

And the Haterz over at NOM are really hating Obama today, cause he dared to suggest that L/G’s should be equal to all other Americans. What a notion, that L/G’s should be able to expect and receive equal treatment in the law.

I agree Ralph, it is SOOOOOOO satisfying. It’s particularly enjoyable to see them trapped in their full throttle hate mode today with nowhere to go as Obama stands tall for SS/Medicare & Medicaid, women’s rights and equality for Teh Gay. I noticed that they’re beginning to link to other right wing blogs and bloggers now so it won’t be long before they completely drop their “disenfranchised Dem/former Hillary supporter” charade. Fuck the ratfuckers!!! 🙂

“I would have preferred a more bipartisan tone, hitting the reset button with Republicans,” said Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, a conservative doctor who was one of the few in his party to openly criticize Obama’s second inaugural address, and who spoke for many. “In spite of the words he spoke today his White House continues to be very confrontational rather than cooperative in working with Republicans.”

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The Sky Dancing banner headline uses a snippet from a work by artist Tashi Mannox called 'Rainbow Study'. The work is described as a" study of typical Tibetan rainbow clouds, that feature in Thanka painting, temple decoration and silk brocades". dakinikat was immediately drawn to the image when trying to find stylized Tibetan Clouds to represent Sky Dancing. It is probably because Tashi's practice is similar to her own. His updated take on the clouds that fill the collection of traditional thankas is quite special.

You can find his work at his website by clicking on his logo below. He is also a calligraphy artist that uses important vajrayana syllables. We encourage you to visit his on line studio.